REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said here on Thursday he has been optimistic that Indonesia's economy will grow 5.7 percent this year, despite the economic slowdown in 2014.

"I know there was a slowdown in 2014; therefore we must push our infrastructure spending in 2015," he added.

Indonesia's economy only grew 5.02 percent last year and missed the target set in the 2014 revised budget.

Bambang noted the economic slowdown in 2014 was a strong alarm for the government to more seriously boost factors that will contribute to the country's economic growth.

He remarked that the government will still rely on investments, such as through the optimization of development spending and encouraging the private sector to take up development financing.

According to him, the investment climate will continue to improve in 2015 and private investments will boost the economic growth of Indonesia.

He admitted it was hard to rely on other contributing factors such as exports to boost the economy in 2015 due to the declining prices of commodities and slow economic growth in trade partner countries.

"So, we will optimize our budget spending. State capital participation is part of government investment," he added.

Minister Bambang observed that the government will strive to improve household consumption and boost the buying power of the people.

He stated that infrastructure development will not only cover large-scale physical development projects but social means and facilities to support the economic activities of the low-economic section as well.

The National Statistics Agency announced on Thursday that the country's economy cumulatively grew 5.02 percent in 2014.

In line with the draft revised budget for 2015, the country's economy is expected to grow by 5.7 percent this year.

In a meeting with Commission XI, a commission member from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Maruarar Sirait, urged the government to pay serious attention to potential factors that can spur the economic growth of the country.

He appealed to the government to ensure that its "gizjeling" (holding delinquent tax payers) and tax amnesty policy will not have any negative implication on the real sector.

"It should ensure that it will not become an antithesis," he added.

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